Flags

Someone recently asked me if I alter or enhance my photos before posting. The answer is YES - almost always! At the very least I'll adjust exposure (any combination of levels, shadows/highlights, white balance, dodging/burning) and sharpening. Often, I'll adjust perspective to straighten buildings as much as I dare. And, in rare cases, I'll add a sky. Today I did all of the above. Some might say this is not reality. But, I think it could be. Here's the results followed by the original straight from the camera.

Seeing buildings like this always makes me wonder what it must have been like to be in those rooms at the top, back in the day when the space was used as originally intended. Today, most (maybe all) of this building at the north end of Union Square is a Barmes & Noble book store.

Tightening the Screws?

Working on the Williamsburg Bridge

Spring

There are many things that mark the beginning of spring each year. On our block, this tree is the most visible.

Back Alley

Back to back fire escapes in Sunnyside, NY (Queens)

Our Lady of Pompeii

Our Lady of Pompeii Church at Bleecker & Carmine streets

Blue Dusk

Blue condo at dusk

Work Train

Some weekend repairs being done on the subway (A Line).

East River Park Reconstruction

Reconstruction of the waterfront promenade at East River Park has been going on for years. The section just north of the Williamsburg Bridge (1st photo) is nearing completion. Benches and railings are in place. There's still some paving and landscaping to be done. The section south of the bridge (2nd/3rd photo) is another story!

Midtown Skyline 2

Another shot from the same location as yesterday's. The two tallest buildings in the background from L to R are Chrysler Building and Citicorp Center. The 3 dark buildings at the far right background are the Waterside Plaza apartments (a 4th building is hidden). The white narrow slab to their left is the south side of the United Nations Secretariat and the tall black tower to its left is Trump World Tower. The endless wall of brick buildings extending almost the entire width in the near background is Stuyvesant Town.

Midtown Skyline

Midtown as seen from the Lower East Side (Grand Street). The building with the clock about 1/4 in from the right is Red Square on Houston Street. The building with the clock in the background about 1/4 in from the left is the Consolidated Edison building on 14th Street. The Tallest building is, of course, the Empire State Building. The gold-topped building in front of it is the New York Life Building and the gold-topped building to its left is the MetLife clock tower.

New York Savings Bank

I was rushing to meet someone when I turned to look behind me and noticed the dome atop the building on the corner that I had just come from. With not enough time to walk back to get a better shot, I used the zoom instead. Damn those pesky, distracting streetlamps and cables! The New York Savings Bank is long gone! But, the building is a designated landmark. So, it should live on pretty much as-is.

New and Old New York

Looking past the older brick buildings on Varick Street towards the new glass tower that I believe is Trump Soho Hotel.

Late Afternoon Sun...

...lighting the tops of "the round building" (well, that's what I call it) and Stuyvesant Town in the background. The round building is part of the Beth Israel Hospital complex.

MLK Jr. Community Garden

The Martin Luther King Jr. Community Garden at the Henry Street Settlement (Henry Street at Samuel Dickstein Plaza).

The Funnest iPod Ever ??

Walking down the stairs at the subway station at 8th Ave & W. 14th street, one comes face to face with this billboard for the iPod Touch. Is "funnest" even a word?

Brickwork

The blue tarps covering brick repairs create some visual interest on what are otherwise very plain-looking buildings. These are LaGuardia houses along Madison Street, named after mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia who was instrumental in creating the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). NYCHA built and continues to manage these apartments.

Can Man

Keeping our streets free of cans!

Melt Down!

Just 4 days after nearly 20" of snow dumped on us, the temperature rose and the snow is almost gone, except for some dirty reminders along the curbs. Some more snow is in the forecast for today. But, nothing like last week. I'm so looking forward to spring!

Green Light

7 Line in Sunnyside, Queens